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Mesa Police Department Cons, Frauds & Scams
 
"Grandma" Scam

The "Grandma Scam" has resurfaced on the west coast. The con artists goes through the telephone book looking for first names that might indicate that the person is a senior; names like Ruth, Stella, or Mabel. They call the senior and say, "Grandma, is that you? Can you hear me? I'm in jail and need help." They continue to talk until the senior says, for example, "Jimmy, is that you?" Now the caller has the grandson's name and says, "Yes, Grandma, it's me, Jimmy." The caller then says they are in jail for a minor offense and they need money to get out. Then the caller asks the senior to wire money through Western Union. Many seniors have been victims of this scam.

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